Eslire
by Miya Azlikov
Summary: When Mikan's sister dies, her father makes the mistake of blaming the government, and is murdered within 24 hours. Just when her family thinks there is no one to turn to, a rebel recruit shows up at their door and brings them to an underground top-secret rebel facility. Ten years later, at the age of sixteen, Mikan is sent out as the first rebel spy. Where to? The Academy.
1. The Coldest Winter I Ever Knew

My hometown could've been beautiful. It had myriads of creeks, meadows scattered with lavender sages and wildflowers, and the most eloquent cherry trees. But instead of being the melodious haven that nature had intended it to be, Arianna was an impoverished wreck. The water was polluted with toxic waste, dumped in by cruel companies; the seemingly peaceful meadows were buried under landfills and makeshift cemeteries; and the cherry trees that had once stood so gracefully were dying off, suffocated by air pollution and the somber atmosphere.

Naturally, there was resentment—but everyone was too scared to speak their thoughts. Only behind closed doors did people whisper about the royals and government neglecting us. We all wondered where our annual taxes were going. Despite the treasury claiming otherwise, it was obvious that none of the taxes were heading towards education or to hospitals. Left and right, schools closed down, and without funds, hospitals had to charge higher prices, until nobody could afford health insurance or even a simple doctor's checkup.

Then one winter, the inevitable happened. My family was trapped indoors, away from the hailing blizzard. It had been four days since any of us had eaten a proper meal, and the temperature was well below zero degrees. The cold seeped right through the thin walls, freezing our skin and bones. The worst part was that Emily was sick. She was eleven years old at the time, and struggling with leprosy, a gruesome malady. Two rooms away, I could still hear her agonizing coughs and moans as clear as spring water.

My mother didn't let me see her in person. Whenever I asked, she would shake her head and say, "No. Emi's still contagious." I knew that wasn't the only reason because she let Tsubasa visit her, and because each night, I would peer through the crack in my door and see her bring out blankets stained with blood. Even then, I knew that it was because she didn't want to traumatize me with Emily's miserable state.

And even though everyone in the house prayed for her wellbeing, Emily grew worse by the day. Her body became frailer, and the coughing fits and fevers were rasher and more painful than the previous.

A week later, my beloved sister died.

Her funeral was small; we barely managed to cremate her remains, and that was only because the local cremator was a good friend of ours. The ashes were hewn into one jar, and into four small glass vials. I always kept mine nearby—in my pocket, clenched in my palm, even under my pillow when I slept. It was like carrying a piece of Emily's soul, and something about that comforted me.

We all mourned. Being six at the time, I didn't know how to take anything in. For weeks, I just locked myself in the bedroom and stared at my vial with hollow eyes. All I could think was that I'd lost my best friend. The loneliness I felt was unimaginable. But for my father, it was different. After the first waves of devastation, his sorrow morphed into bitterness. He blamed the government for Emily's death. At the dinner table, he ranted about their corruption and selfishness, and how he'd make them pay.

Being the editor of the city newspaper, he had the power to make this into a conspiracy. He knew the repercussions, but he was so blinded by hatred and misery that he didn't care. The article he wrote was nasty—two pages in length, and every word filled with malice and accusation.

Within twenty-four hours of the article's circulation, his body turned up in the dumpsters. The local police deemed the act anonymous, but we all knew it was in connection with the government.

The rebels came in touch with us then.

I'd never dreamed that there was a rebel force, opposing the government. Nobody had, but Tsubasa agreed to join almost immediately. I think he hated the government even more than my father did, if that was even humanely possible. My mother was unsure, but after seeing my father so easily targeted and assassinated, she was paranoid. And the rebels offered her protection.

So that night, my family was relocated. We were secretly stowed off to an underground facility, unknown to anyone outside of the rebel force. It was like a whole new world, with its tall buildings, man-made reservoirs, and plots of farming land. The crops were genetically altered in order for them to survive without sunlight. Because underground, we were shut away in darkness.

After the inauguration ceremony, where we were officially sworn into the rebel force, I knew there was no turning back.

That was the coldest winter I ever knew. It was the winter where I lost two of the people I loved most, and the winter where my heart turned to ice—stripped of its innocence and naivety.

It was also the winter that I began to train.


	2. The Rebel Institute

I groaned as the bell rang, the sound shrill in my ears. With a heave, I rolled off the bed and pressed the intercom button.

"Get up. There's a meeting in half an hour." I recognized the voice as my brother's almost immediately.

"Okay," I said in confusion. Why did it seem like he was asking me to go?I wasn't a Committee member, being underage, so I couldn't go to the meetings that Tsubasa took so much pride in attending. "I'm not escorting you to the headquarters, if that's what you're asking. It's cold. And Tsubasa, you're old enough to walk by yourself, right?" I put an effort to tease him, but it came out groggy and unconvincing.

"Seriously, Mikan. Chief Pryor requested that I bring you as a guest. Don't be difficult, and get down here before the higher-ups get impatient."

I was surprised at the worry laced into Tsubasa's voice. He was usually easy-going and carefree around me, and now, it almost seemed like he was panicking.

"I'll be right down," I said, switching the intercom off. Now wide awake, I threw on some fresh clothes—a simple gray tunic, dark-blue jeans, and worn leather boots. In the bathroom, I brushed my teeth and combed my hair in record time. I sprinted out the door then, my feet pounding past the hallways, down the stairs, and into the ground room.

It was completely dark, besides a couple candles that had been illuminated. I recognized Tsubasa's tall silhouette pacing the edge of the room.

"Tsubasa? What's going on?" I asked nervously.

"I'm not really sure, but I overheard Pryor…" Tsubasa trailed off, shaking his head. "I don't know, but something's not right."

"As in, we've been found?" I prodded, as we both walked out the exit. Tsubasa turned on his flashlight, and we fluidly walked towards the headquarters. It was the tallest, most extravagant building in the whole rebel facility, and it was the only one with electricity at all times. Other places—like the student dorms—had controlled electricity, from six in the morning to our curfew at ten o'clock pm. The lights automatically shut off outside of those designated hours to save money, since light was expensive. It was bought from a company aboveground, and to keep our whereabouts unknown, the price was extremely high.

The moment I asked, I knew it was a stupid question. And Tsubasa obviously thought so too.

"Of course not. We wouldn't be here if that happened. They'd drop a bomb the moment they discovered our location. It would've been a miracle if we could evacuate an eighth of our population." Silently, I did the calculations. That would've been around sixty-two people, out of our five hundred.

That in itself was a complete overstatement. It would've been a miracle if we could evacuate one person in that type of situation.

I shrugged. "So, what's up?"

"They've constructed a plan to infiltrate the Palace. Evidently, it's taken _years_ to solidify the fake paperwork, so it's a big project. And…I think it involves you."

We hurriedly entered the headquarters, jammed the elevator buttons, and straightened ourselves out before knocking on the meeting room. The Chief's gruff consent was given, and we went in and took our seats around the oblong table.

I tentatively sat down besides Tsubasa, and scanned the other faces in the room. There were fifty-three of them. Tsubasa had been inaugurated into the group two months ago, after finally passing the Committee qualifying exam. It'd taken him seven tries to achieve the bare minimum to pass.

The Chief rose from his chair at the head of the room, and made the short walk to the podium. And just like that, the room became silent.

"Thank you for coming here this morning. I'll try to make this quick, so we can adjourn and begin making the last preparations. The project will be put into effect tomorrow morning, at the latest," Pryor explained briefly. "We've been working on this particular project for very long now. Ten years, to be exact. It's been tediously worked on and perfected by the elite senior ring, but today, we present it to the rest of you."

The whole room was pin-drop silent, and I could hear the chairs groaning as people leaned forward in anticipation.

"We'll be sending in a spy."

A wave of excited whispers and gasps undulated throughout the Committee. Tsubasa visibly tensed, and underneath the table, I reached out and squeezed his hand in reassurance. He glanced at me wearily.

"After years of arrangements, it's finally become possible to send one of _us _into the Palace itself. In the past, we've had people positioned in the low noblesse, in city councils, and even in the local judiciary panels. But all of those people are above-ground recruits who've never been _trained_," Pryor announced. "As all of you know, there's an Academy buried within the Palace. Only the royals, and high selections from the noblesse may attend. Undercover rebel, Andrew Sparrow, has finally acquired a noblesse status, prestigious enough to send his child to that sole Academy.

"Sparrow's wife has no knowledge of this rebel association, but she's also infertile, due to a number of sterility pills that Sparrow has given her," Pryor continued. "Furthermore, they've rearranged to 'adopt' a child. That child will be from _this_ rebel institute, and will steal out information from within. It'll be easiest to pry secrets from boastful, and spoiled children—as opposed to their parents, the guarded and more experienced adults.

"I've looked at all of the rebel profiles. So has the senior ring, and we've both come to a complete, unanimous agreement regarding who that spy will be," Pryor stated solemnly. His eyes wandered to mine, and my breath hitched in my throat. Tsubasa stiffened. "The girl we're sending has an IQ equivalent to that of a genius. Her intelligence is beyond all of us, and her appearance is more than high-end. In short, she's perfect for the job."

_He's talking about me. _The thought flashed in the back of my mind. My hands shook in fear, but I managed to stay completely composed. But I was so scared. I'd never been apart from Tsubasa, or my mother.

"That girl is among us today. Miss Sakura, could you stand up?" Pryor asked. I slowly did as he requested, my eyes never leaving his. Pryor turned to the rest of the Committee.

"Ms. Sakura has exemplified high intellect since she's arrived. The professors here were impressed, and to test her, she was given the Committee qualifying exam two years ago. When she was only fourteen years old."

Again, gasps were heard. Tsubasa stared at me with wide eyes. I didn't tell him about that since I knew that would wound his ego—and I was right. His face was mortified, but at the moment, it barely registered. I had more to worry about at the moment.

Like my _life_.

"She scored perfectly," Pryor continued simply. "The teachers were even more perplexed, and she was given an above-ground test that we'd recovered from the government data-base: the exit exam for the Palace's prized Academy, if you will. Again, she scored perfectly. Of all of us, she's our best shot at discovering the most info. On top of that, her intelligence would let her easily complete school material. She'll have more time to snoop around, without arising suspicion. Who would suspect a diligent top student? Almost no one. And she'll have more chances to gain inside news."

Tsubasa stood up immediately. "With all due respect, Chief, this is just ridiculous! Mikan's only sixteen—she's still a child. Even though she's been through training…And with our father's status, as a traitor, a heretic? It's just too dangerous!"

Pryor's brow furrowed. "Willingly or not, she'll be going. I hope you understand that, Tsubasa. It's for the greater good—and if she's as smart and careful as we think she is, she should fare well enough.

"Just think about it this way, Tsubasa," Pryor added. "The government killed your father. This is her chance to get them back for it. Make them _pay_."

"We can make them pay," Tsubasa retorted angrily, "just not through my _sister_!"

Pryor gave a dangerous look. "You're not the executive here, Tsubasa. When your family was inaugurated, you took a pledge to follow our orders. This is one of them."

"How could you—"

I put a hand on my brother's sleeve and pulled him back into his seat. I knew he'd fight for me, whenever and wherever. But I wasn't stupid; I knew that Pryor could easily kill him for speaking out, and that either way, I would be going. At least this way, he and mom would be safe.

"Stop, Tsubasa," I said, my voice quiet but firm. He objected, but I shook my head. "Just stop."

"What are you _doing_? I'm trying to save your life here, Mikan—"

I looked at Pryor warily. "I'll go."

Pryor smiled, almost cruelly. "That's what I wanted to hear." He turned to the door at the back side of the room. "Guards?"

The door opened and a row of men filed into the room. My heart skipped a beat, and I looked at Tsubasa for help. _They're taking me away…_

"S-She's leaving—_now_?"

"Yes, we're on a very tight schedule," Pryor exclaimed sharply. His eyes locked with mine, and he said, "Hurry up, go along."

I couldn't do anything but stand up and begin making my way over to the door.

"At least let her mother say good-bye!" Tsubasa shouted, panicked.

"Ah, _so _many requests from this young man!" Pryor exclaimed impatiently. I'd reached the guards by now, and I waited tensely for his answer. "I suppose Avery could see her off, but she's headed to the Transitus soon—departure in _ten_ _minutes_."

Tsubasa opened his mouth to protest, but the words hung in his throat as he heard Pryor's emphasis on the last word.

"Thank you for your generosity, Chief." Tsubasa bowed his head, but I could sense the reproach underneath his actions. With that, he sprinted out the door in search of our mother.

"Well then, let's continue. Miss Sakura, you'll be escorted above tonight. You'll meet with Sparrow in a couple hours. He'll provide you with all the necessities, and indulgences, too. When you see his wife, act as sweet and normal as possible."

I felt sick hearing those words. It was so ironic, since the rebels literally trained me to be an assassin—quick in mind and action, cold, and unmoved by emotion. I was taught to give lethal blows; my physical standpoint was beyond most professional athletes; and I was trained to be able to read expressions within an instant survey.

Now, everything made sense: why I was the only person in the institute who learned high-class etiquette, how to play the piano and violin, to sing, to dance. They'd been prepping me for this since the very beginning.

I was like a tool in their grand scheme—disposable at any given time, without a say in what would happen with my life.

"Your registration into the Academy has already been approved, so you'll begin attending within this week."

I nodded numbly, forcing myself to speak. "Yes, Chief."

"Although the students themselves aren't exactly sharp, the adults are. Be careful," Pryor said. "Do well on your tests. We have a backup plan—an explanation, if you will—for that. Gradually ease into the other aspects. Pretend that you're insufficient at the musical instruments and quickly make your way up to the top. It'll make you look like even _more _of a prodigy. Same with athletics and proper etiquette. Also…remember that any information sent to us needs to be in rebel code."

Rebel code was a complex array of symbols and pictures. To an outsider, it would look like a page full of doodles and little drawings. To a skilled rebel, it would be an entire profile, an entire mass of information.

"Sparrow will fill you in on the rest. Understood?" he finished.

I looked at the ground briefly before looking into his cold eyes. "Yes, Chief."

"You're very compliant," Pryor noted, with a tone of satisfaction. His gaze left mine, and he quickly addressed the Council. "Meeting adjourned."


	3. The Transitus

The guards formed a semicircle around me, half-guiding and half-pushing me towards the Transitus. It was Latin for _transition_, as it was an elevator that was only used on the rare occasion to transport a person between the real world and the rebel facility. It was a tall rectangle, made of bulletproof glass, and it could only be activated through the fingerprints of Pryor and the senior ring.

Without even looking at a clock, I knew that time was running out. Six minutes had already passed, and Tsubasa was nowhere to be seen.

Meanwhile, my insides began to twist in turmoil. Everything I knew, the people left that I loved would be separated from me.

_It was foolish to think that the rebels would save us in the long term, _I thought bitterly. _After all, they've planned this from the start. _

I willed myself not to cry. Not in front of these people.

But when I saw the clock's hands fall onto the ten minute mark, I couldn't help a tear that escaped my eye. I quickly wiped it off with the back of my hand, just as a guard roughly shoved me into the Transitus.

I struggled slightly, trying to be as cumbersome as possible so that the man would have trouble doing all the buckles. But it would only give me a minute at the most. If Tsubasa and Mom didn't come now, I wouldn't see them ever again.

The man finished the last buckle with a sickening _click! _and my hopes fell. My body sagged against the small bench in defeat, and tears started to freely run down my cheeks.

I watched as the guard closed the glass door and began turning the multiple mechanisms and gears to secure the contraption. A couple pulleys were being wound by the other guards.

I sobbed, but nobody was there to comfort me.

Too soon, the guards got off the platform and hit the expel button. Slowly, the Transitus began to rise. It hovered for a couple seconds, gaining momentum for the push-off that would send it flying upward, but in that small timeframe, I saw them running towards me.

I shot up on my legs, pulling at the restraints, and pressed my face against the glass. Below, there was my mother, crying and screaming to get me back down. She locked eyes with me, and I could see the fear and the sadness in them. Tsubasa's arm was around her, and he looked up at a loss for what to do.

I gathered all the strength I could and smiled, for her. My hands curled to form a heart, and I mouthed the words, "Thank you. I love you." To Tsubasa, I murmured the same thing, but added, "It's not your fault."

Then, the Transitus shot up and the motion sent me recoiling against the bench. My head slammed against the back wall, and I cried out in pain.

Within seconds, I'd traveled an upward total of almost a mile, and the Transitus stilled. The buckles automatically came off, and because my head spun with the abrupt change in altitude, I barely even noticed that the edges had cut into my shoulder enough to draw blood.

I jumped when I heard a horrible screeching sound, before the lid was opened and a knotted rope was lowered into the Transitus.

I cautiously took it, and scaled the length easily. Once above, I winced at the brightness of the sun, and had to close my eyes for a while before I could adjust to the light. For a second, I admired the luscious green grass that dotted the floor, but then I saw the man in front of me.

He was a tall, brusque man with a wiry nose and shrewd eyes. His hair was slightly greying, but it only made him look wiser.

He extended his hand in greeting and said, "I'm Andrew Sparrow." I shook his hand in a circumspect manner. "You'll go by Mikan Yukihara from now on."

Six hours later, I was stuck in a high-class limousine, which was headed straight for the Palace. Sparrow was driving, and his wife, Larissa, was seated across from me. She was a kind woman who cried genuine tears when I told her my cover-up story: that my parents had both died of the influenza when I was six years old, and that ever since, I'd been in the orphanage.

Pryor had mended a silver locket, with a picture of my family when I was younger. Before Emily's death—when we were still poor, but happy as a family. Emily, Tsubasa, and I had our arms around each other, and our parents stood behind us like our protectors. Since wearing my father's face into the Academy was too risky, Pryor had altered his features on the computer, grafting his cheekbones higher, and his jaw rounder. Although the picture was black and white, Pryor thought it necessary to lighten his dark hair to a pale blonde, similar to mine and my mother's. Either way, I was glad Pryor didn't cut him off the picture completely. Because even though his face may have changed completely, his eyes—light, and smiling back—were ones that I could recognize anywhere, and it gave me comfort.

I was a bit unhappy with the fact that Pryor had grafted the rest of my family's profiles as well, but perhaps it was for the best. Tsubasa, Emily, and Mom were still in the government database as well, so it was a fair move.

I showed the locket to Larissa after my story was finished, and she burst into another fit of tears. I felt so guilty, telling her all these lies. But I knew what was expected of me; and by the slight twitching in Sparrow's right ear, I knew he was listening to every word I said.

The rest of the ride went without much more drama. Sparrow had to discuss business matters through his earpiece, so Larissa and I kept quiet. I expected a tirade of questions once Sparrow had finished his call, but when I looked over, Larissa was already fast asleep, sprawled comfortably across the limo's leather.

By the time we arrived at our destination, it was mid-afternoon. The sun was a massive blaze across the horizon, and the sky was painted with brilliant streaks of red, pink, and orange.

The Palace was even more stunning and breath-taking than it looked in the pictures. The buildings were colossal, sophisticated structures that seemed to spiral into the clouds. The surrounding walls were a marvelous arrangement of stone draped with ivy, and the rooftops were painted a shimmering gold—or, considering this _was _the Palace, it could've been real and I wouldn't be surprised.

Sparrow waved his clearance badge into the scanner and the main entrance gates immediately parted. The limo pulled forward, and around ten minutes later, we reached the Inner Walls. Sparrow parked the limo in an empty courtyard and helped us out. I looked around, quickly assessing my surroundings. Another stone wall was in front of us, and I could make out the tops of trees and other buildings inside.

Sparrow kissed Larissa's cheek quickly. "Are you sure you don't need me to finalize Mikan's paperwork?"

Larissa shook her head. "We'll be fine. Adeline knows me from the old days, so I'm sure it'll be quick and painless. Besides, that meeting is important. You shouldn't keep your client waiting."

Sparrow nodded, and walked towards me. In an almost inaudible whisper, he warned, "Don't let this place's beauty fool you. Stay guarded." Then, in a louder voice that Larissa could hear, he said: "Good luck in school, Mikan. Study hard."


	4. The Academy

Larissa dragged me off to a whitewashed building about a hundred feet away. We spent half an hour filling out forms together; Larissa did most of the writing, and then I'd sign off at the bottom of all the pages. At the last moment, Larissa told me that I had to take a preliminary exam.

"It's a pre-test," Larissa explained briefly. She paused thoughtfully. "You probably won't know half of the material on the exam. It's a mix of all the curriculum, from freshman to senior year. You're only a sophomore right now, so don't worry about it. The officials will take all of that into account."

I restrained myself from saying that I already knew all the senior curriculum—and more. "What happens if I fail?"

"You won't get kicked out. Just try your very best, because it actually matters at the Academy. How well you do determines your status. But no pressure, okay? You can always work yourself up after this. The entrance exam is simply a starting point. And I remember flunking it in my freshman year, so it's fine if you don't do so well either."

"Okay," I smiled easily. "Where's the test?"

Larissa tilted her head curiously since I wasn't worried, but said nothing. She pointed to a small classroom at the end of the hall. "There's a proctor in the room already. Good luck."

After finishing the exam, I quickly signed my name at the bottom of the page and placed it on the proctor's desk. He nodded curtly, and fed it into a gray machine.

"Wait outside with your guardian," the proctor exclaimed rigidly, his voice monotone. "The test results will be directly faxed to Adeline. She'll assign you accordingly."

I thanked him quickly, and left the room. It didn't take long before I spotted Larissa. She was seated on a small bench opposite Adeline's office at the end of the hall.

I sat down next to her, and she smiled. "How was the test?"

"It wasn't that bad. I think I did okay," I lied lightly. Truthfully, I knew that I'd aced the entire thing.

"Don't worry about it. Almost everyone flunks, especially if they aren't seniors," Larissa laughed. I think she mistook my lying as uneasiness about the exam. I'd always been a bad liar, and I knew I had to work on that if I wanted to stay alive here. But for the meantime, it worked either way.

"So what's your biggest piece of advice here? At the Academy, I mean."

"Be careful of the girls," Larissa said, without the slightest hesitation.

I raised an eyebrow. "Seriously?"

"Dead serious," Larissa returned.

"I was expecting something along the lines of studying every night," I admitted.

"Oh, don't get me wrong, the academic part is _hard. _You're probably going to have to pull many all-nighters, but it's a breeze compared to handling the girls," Larissa stated. "Everyone here is fighting to receive recognition. They'll backstab you, or do almost _anything _to take you down if you stand in their way."

"On the bright side," Larissa added quickly, sensing my discomfort, "there _are _some good people here. You just have to find them."

I wanted to ask further, but the door in front of us swung open, revealing a tall woman in her mid-forties. Larissa sprung from her seat, pulling me up in the process, and closed the distance between us and the sophisticated lady.

"It's been too long, Adeline," Larissa exclaimed amiably. She enveloped the woman in a quick embrace. "How are you?"

"I'm fine, thank you," Adeline returned. "I see you adopted a child?"

Larissa beamed, turning to me. "Yes. This is Mikan. Mikan—this is Adeline Raze, the Head Coordinator of the Academy. She was my roommate back in secondary school."

"A pleasure to meet you," I murmured softly. I smiled and offered my hand, which Adeline shook firmly.

"The pleasure's mine," Adeline answered. Her gaze was analytical and meticulous, and I could sense that she was carefully observing me. She took a retreating step into her office. "Shall we continue this inside?"

Larissa nodded, and we both obeyed. Adeline's office was a spacious room, and with a quick visual sweep, I had almost all of it memorized. There was a bookcase on the right wall; her desk was situated on the left side of the room, and behind it was a mounted painting of the Academy. Her desk was stacked with papers, but I immediately noticed a manila folder with my name across the front.

I slipped into one of the comfortable chairs that sat opposite Adeline's. Larissa followed suit, and took the armchair to my right.

"Well, Larissa," Adeline began. "I must say that you adopted an extraordinary young lady."

"Oh yes. Mikan's such an angel," Larissa smiled. With a small laugh, she added, "And she certainly _looks _like one," referring to my light blonde hair, cerulean-blue eyes, and feminine features.

Adeline pushed the manila folder to our side of the desk. "I'm sure, but that's not what I meant. I was talking about her exam score."

Curious, Larissa opened the folder and read through the top paper. With wide eyes, she handed it to me, too shocked to speak. I graced the perfect score with a small, satisfied smile, and placed the sheet back on the folder.

"Larissa is dumbstruck, but you don't seem surprised?" Adeline asked quietly.

I bit my lip sheepishly. "No, ma'am."

"May I ask the reason?" Adeline continued.

"There was a library across from my orphanage," I lied steadily. Pryor had already given me this excuse beforehand, so the words fell smoothly from my lips. "The teachers let me study there on my own…and I had all the time in the world, so I just devoted myself to learning as much as I could."

"Your score was extremely impressive," Adeline murmured. "In fact, you're the first female to have ever scored perfectly."

"Female?" I echoed curiously.

Adeline looked amused. "Yes. The Crown Prince aced the exam earlier this year, and his sister wasn't too far off either."

Suddenly, Larissa sprung from her chair with an audible gasp. "Does this mean that Mikan's rooming in _Eslire_?"

Adeline smiled. "Precisely. It's quite an honor, isn't it?"

I remained confused. "Eslire?"

"The Academy is, as we like to call it, a _meritocracy_," Adeline explained. "We group our students based on their worth. The main criteria for that is the entrance exam—the one you just took.

"Your grouping defines you; gives you title and status. It's as simple as that," Adeline continued. "Since you aced the exam, you've been classified under the Academy's most prided group, otherwise known as Eslire."

"French for _elite_," I breathed.

"Yes. And predominantly so," Adeline remarked. "The six people in Eslire all carry royal lineage. Prince Natsume, Prince Elliot, and Princess Hotaru form the core, being immediate royals. Then come their cousins: Ayden, Liam, and William—all of whom belong in the high noblesse. All I can say is good luck with all the change."

"You mean, all the jealous girls," Larissa grumbled.

Adeline chuckled, but said nothing. "I would agree with you, Larissa, but I'm the Head Coordinator now. It's in my job description to speak well of it." She took a lanyard from her drawer and handed it to me. "Keep that with you at all times. It's identification here." I turned the lanyard in my hands, eyeing the cord's smooth silk, the laminated ID with my picture and name, and the many keys dangling on the ring.

"Dinner is at eight," Adeline told me. "Your maids will arrive an hour earlier to prepare you. Out of respect, they'll knock, but they have the key to get in and out. The girls will also come with your final paperwork, your schedule, and a couple miscellaneous additions. Anyways, I'm sure you're eager to get back to your room. Larissa, I assume you know the way to Eslire?"

"Of course. How many times did we try to sneak into there?" Larissa asked rhetorically. Adeline shot her a sharp look, and she bit her lip. "Oops, sorry, sorry. I'll bring Mikan right away." And with an excited grin, Larissa dragged me out the door.


	5. Eslire

When Larissa first led me to my room, I expected a nice, _simple _place. Since I'd lived in the rebel institute for so long, bare minimum was something I was so accustomed to that even simple things seemed so extravagant.

Oh, I was completely wrong.

The whole place was more like a luxurious condo. There was a granite-countered kitchen, already stocked with food; a walk-in closet full of clothing racks, all adjusted to my size; a bathroom with a mini-sized pool; a small study with bookshelves and a mahogany desk; and lastly, the bedroom. It held an impressive king-sized bed, which was draped in a transparent canopy; an armchair, a fireplace, and a soft ivory sofa. At the end of the room was a glass sliding door, which led to a balcony that overlooked Eslire's gardens. It was a beautiful, calming array of wildlife, and I made a mental note to visit it when I had time.

Larissa only spent an hour with me. She explained the Academy's background, warned me of a couple classes, and was halfway through a humorous story when her phone rang. After one look at the caller ID, she gave an apologetic smile and had to leave.

I didn't really mind. I needed some time by myself anyways, and I opted to laying on the bed. My hands found the locket around my neck, and before I knew it, I was gazing at the picture inside. I choked back the tears that sprang to my eyes.

A couple minutes later, I heard a knock at the door. I immediately wiped the remaining moisture in my eyes and composed myself.

The door swung open and three girls, who looked about my age for the most part, walked in. The first three were brunettes, and the last was a much younger redhead. They curtsied and introduced themselves as Alison, Carrie, and Elise. They tried to hide it, but I could see that they were nervous.

I smiled warmly. "I'm Mikan Yukihara. Nice to meet you."

"No, the pleasure's all ours, Miss—"

"Oh, please. Just call me Mikan," I interrupted quickly. "There's really no need for honorifics. I'm not much of a noble myself."

"But you aced the entire preliminary exam! You're in _Eslire!_" the small redhead, Elise, blurted. She quickly covered her mouth and flushed a pink color. "Sorry."

I laughed. "No, it's okay. I was an orphan for the longest time. I was adopted earlier this week, and I happened to do well on the test, so I landed here. Anyways, what I'm trying to say is that we're not far off from each other, so from now on, no honorifics, no curtsies. Agreed?"

The three voiced out their compliance, and Elise bounded over to sit beside me on the bed. She instantly reminded me of Emily—her demeanor, her childish attitude, her ability to feel at ease with even strangers. They looked nothing alike, but at the same time, they seemed the same person. I reached out and ruffled the little girl's hair. She was so small—maybe ten?

"What are you doing, working here so young?" I asked thoughtfully.

Elise smiled, but it was bittersweet and forced. "Mama's sick, so I'm taking her place."

My next words were careful and soft. "How sick is she?"

"Her mother was deported a couple days ago," Alison answered solemnly. "She was too contagious. Had a case of the influenza. That's why Elise is here."

I nodded. Law 2093B stated that if any maidservant was sent away due to illness, the eldest child could step in for their parent. It was a necessary rule, since most families depended on that paycheck.

It pained me to see her eyes so hollow. They reminded me of mine after I'd lost Emily. Only she had some hope—her mother was still alive.

"I'll see what I can do," I promised.

"Really?" Elise's eyes brightened. "You'll help?"

"Of course. I'll ask around for medicine," I said. "Then we'll send it to your mother and she'll be as good as new."

Elise circled her arms around my waist and I smiled. I looked up at the other three, who were staring on in awe. "Something wrong?"

"No, of course not!" Carrie stammered. "It's just…it's the first time that a noble's talked to us in a normal tone…or _helped _us for that matter…"

"Oh," I said distastefully. "Well, Larissa _did _say that the girls were extremely pretentious around here."

"It's true. But on a different note, I think we should get you ready now," Alison exclaimed. "It's already six-thirty—we only have a little over an hour."

Alison ran into the walk-in closet to pick out a number, and Elise dragged me to the bathroom. Since we were short on time, I settled for a quick, warm shower. I hadn't had one since I'd gone underground. All the water down there was cold, so cold that taking a shower had become almost a displeasure.

Alison handed me a simple, but elegant lace dress. It was extremely feminine, emphasizing my slim physique. Carrie quickly combed and dried my hair, threaded a small rope braid with my side-bangs, and pinned it back with a barrette. Elise was surprisingly skillful with the makeup kit, because when I looked back in the mirror, she had expertly accentuated my blue eyes.

The girls slipped white high heels onto my feet, and added a silver anklet for extra measure. Alison was fussing with last-minute accessories and touch-ups when we heard a knock at the door.

Carrie raised an eyebrow curiously. "Were you expecting someone?"

"No. Maybe it's Larissa?" I said uncertainly.

"I'll get it," Elise exclaimed. She bounded over on her small legs, out of our view, but we could hear her swing the door open.

There was a brief silence, before Elise ran back with wide eyes. "Mikan? The Princess is at the door."

I was surprised, but quickly collected myself and walked over with an amiable smile.

The Princess assessed me quickly. I could see her eyes widen a fraction—I admit I probably wasn't what a usual orphan looked like—before giving a smile of her own. "Hi, I'm Hotaru Imai. I presume you're Mikan Yukihara?"

"Yes," I said. "It's an honor to meet you, Princess."

"Call me Hotaru," she said quickly. "I don't prefer honorifics."

"Oh, just like Mikan!" Elise voiced out abruptly. Carrie immediately covered her mouth, and she apologized but Hotaru only smiled.

"She doesn't?" Hotaru prodded, looking at me with an interested look.

"No, Mikan wanted us to call her just that," Elise exclaimed sheepishly. "She was very nice to us."

I blushed at the compliment, but Hotaru seemed to take it in a good way.

She extended her hand. "Friends?"

I shook it. "Of course, I'd love to."

"Well, I was supposed to just tell you where dinner is, but since I already like you," Hotaru explained good-naturedly, "Will you come with me?"

"That would be great," I exclaimed gratefully. I looked back at the girls. "Thanks, guys. See you after?"

"We'll be here," Alison answered.

"Great. And Elise?" I asked. She raised her head in acknowledgement. "I'll remember to ask around."

She smiled and cried her thanks before I closed the door and followed Hotaru down the corridor.

"You know, it's rare that girls interact with their servants," Hotaru mused as we stood in the elevator.

"Do you?" I asked.

Hotaru smiled, looking up. "I was one of the only ones up till now."

"Oh."

"It's a shame, really," Hotaru continued. "But the little girl—she's very attached to you, mm?"

I shrugged. "I guess we have similar backgrounds."

"I'm sorry," Hotaru said sympathetically. "I read into your profile a bit…my parents were extremely impressed with your scores, so we were all curious."

"It's okay," I said lightly. I noticed her uneasiness, so I added, "Really, though. I'm just so lucky to be out of the orphanage already."

Hotaru nodded. "How did you get such a high score?"

I shrugged lightly. "There was a library nearby, so I was always in there learning. I couldn't really do anything else, so I always had a book in my arms."

"That's amazing," Hotaru said softly.

We'd approached the entrance of the banquet hall now. There was a long line that snaked down the corridor, and I turned to make my way into it, but Hotaru pulled my arm.

"We get immediate passes in," Hotaru explained. She led me to the front, and the security guard bowed before letting us in.

I nodded, "Perks of being in Eslire?"

She laughed. "Exactly. And that's just the beginning, frankly. The list goes on for forever! Anyways, I'll explain when we're at the table and there aren't so many people trying to eavesdrop." I bit my lip from smiling when I saw four people to our left drop their heads in shame before moving away.

Now, I began to notice all the people pointing and whispering. Who was I to blame them, anyways? A random girl, a new face, suddenly friends with the Princess? But nonetheless, the dirty looks and pointed stares bothered me.

Hotaru sensed my discomfort. "Don't mind them. They're just jealous."

"Yeah, thanks," I murmured, following her to the raised table at the front of the hall. It was set on a platform, distinguishing it from the others.

The seats were completely filled, besides two left for us. My heart skipped a beat when I saw King Ioran and Queen Kaoru at the head of the table. I inwardly groaned when I saw that our seats were right at the corner, next to them, but when I met their gaze, I graced a small smile. _They won't find out unless you blow it, _I reassured myself. _Calm down, and be professional. Observe. _

Once I'd calmed my heart down, I took in a quick survey of the entire table. Of course, the head consisted of Ioran and Kaoru.

The queen was a natural beauty despite being in her mid-forties, with straight dark-black hair that was swept to one side. Her eyes were a light red color, and the only hints to her age were the small wrinkles that gathered around her eyes.

The king, however, was like Kaoru's opposite. He looked the more stiff and somber type, with his greying hair and cold, sharp eyes. His gaze was domineering and almost hateful.

The far side of the table seated Natsume and Youichi, the Princes to the nation, as well as one of the cousins, Liam Hales. On the closer side, there were first our two seats, and then the remaining cousins, Liam and Ayden Rossbury.

Hotaru and I finally made it to Eslire's table, and upon arrival, the Queen rose from her chair. I vaguely noticed that the boys were staring in complete shock, and I quickly concluded that they had no idea who I was.

I heard Ruka murmur: "Hey, who's the guest Hotaru? I thought we weren't allowed to bring guests!"

To which Hotaru hissed back: "If you ever listened, you would have heard me say that we have an addition to Eslire!"

It would've amused me to no end how all the boys seemed to take in a collective gasp, but I was more busy with handling Kaoru and Ioran. Especially the King: something was off about him, the way he scrutinized me and how Kaoru seemed to shrink away from him whenever their arms brushed against each other. He had a small smile on his face, but his eyes showed something different: they were dark and hooded.

I waved the thought aside for now; I was probably over-analyzing anyways.

"It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Miya. We've heard so many great things from Adeline," Kaoru smiled. She embraced me quickly, swooping down to kiss my cheek. I stood in shock for a moment, but quickly masked my surprise and replied, "Likewise, your Majesty."

"Oh, please, call me Kaoru—or even Mom," the Queen exclaimed with a suggestive wink, her eyes flickering over to her sons' for a brief moment.

"_Mother_!" Hotaru objected, choking on her water. "Completely inappropriate, for goodness sake!"

I coughed in embarrassment, cursing the slight blush on my cheeks.


End file.
